I've never owned a bird before, of any kind. I've owned Arachnids, other bugs, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians... so now I'm highly interested in trying a bird as a pet. I'm not going to get one for a while, and I've plenty of time for research. If anyone has any suggestions on a good beginner species of bird, know that money is not an option and I'm willing to go exotic or domestic as long as they are relatively easy for a beginner to care for.

Now I have volunteered at Sulphur creek and handled and fed baby birds and predatory birds, so I'm not a complete "noob" :P.

Also, I'd like to rescue, so if anyone has any infomation on that I'd be very interested. In the research I've already done I've found one nearby, however I'd have to have their approval and in all honesty I'm a little nervous about that, but I'm sure willing to give it a try. They also do fosters!

Hi! My Dad keeps parrots, he has done for longer then I have been alive and some of his parrots are actually older then me!

He started with one pair of lovebirds, they bred and he got a second pair then he built them a HUGE outside aviary then got more and bred more and so on and so forth. Then he got a cockatiel, they make better pets then the love birds if hand reared, they are great! He then got that cockatiel a mate and bred them. They live in the house. Then he got his macaws, i am unsure of what order he got them in but he has a blue and gold, a red and green and a hyacinth (they hyacinth is freaking HUGE) they live in the house too. They do not have their wings clipped and my Dad takes them out into the grounds of the house to fly every day. He now also has a pair of African Grey which are a rescue, a cockatoo and a few other species of parrot/ parakeets.

ANYWAY yes back to the topic I would say cockatiel are the best to start with but a hand reared one so it is bonded to people. My Dad's female is the most friendly but the male looks SO much prettier. They can be kept in a normal bird cage for in the house so long as they can spread their wings in there and you let it out when you are home so it can fly around.

I would suggest a cockatiel. I own one (Charlie) and he's the nicest and cutest thing ever! He snuggles on my neck and just adores me. I think they are the best starter bird ever!

Lovebirds are a good start but they tend to be a one person bird. My friend owns one and it attacks anybody other than him.

Parakeets are also a good place to start but they tend to be a little flighty.

My last suggestion is a green cheek conure. Do NOT go with any other type of conure other then the green cheek. They are tiny little guys but be warned, they will keep you on your toes. They do silly things and will surprise the heck out of you!

Those are really the only starter birds, just do your research and talk to owners. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

PS: I also own a miniature hahns macaw, and have had experience with everything from finches to green wing macaws. Like I said feel free to ask questions! :)

I am not sure if you are more interested in song ability, talking ability, tameness, playfulness, interactiveness, etc., so for now I will answer what birds I have found to be tame and more hands-on beginner birds:

Lineolated parakeets http://pics.hoobly.com/full/W2H1RIOSB8TQCIM8XB.jpg , a tame pigeon breed (mookies are excellent for this, also pygmy pouters...most breeds are too flighty to be very interactive unless you hand raise), ringneck doves, and as someone else mentioned...European starlings are just awesome and can be talkers. Also, chickens (super tame breeds *tend* to be d'uccles, basque/euskal oiloas, buff orpingtons, the teeny tiny house pet sized seramas, the smart but loving sumatras, silkies...oof, actually, there is a lot more too, so I'll end there), coturnix/Japanese quail (button quails are smaller and less stinky, but they can be super flighty whereas cots tend to be snuggly and great for house pets), and I hear African harlequin quail are supposed to be lovers.